OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

VATICAN CITY, MAR 25, 2003 (VIS) - The Holy Father:

- Accepted the resignation from the office of Auxiliary of Brescia, Italy presented by Bishop Vigilio Mario Olmi upon having reached the age limit.

- Appointed Msgr. Francesco Beschi, pro-vicar general of the diocese of Brescia, Italy, as auxiliary of the same diocese (area 4,339, population 1,041,466, Catholics 1,025, 116, priests 1,097, permanent deacons 26, religious 2,813). The bishop-elect was born in Brescia in 1951 and was ordained a priest in 1975.

- Appointed Fr. Claude Champagne, O.M.I., provincial superior of the oblate province of Saint-Joseph, Montreal, Canada, as auxiliary of the diocese of Halifax (area 21,770, population 517,833, Catholics 155,000, priests 84, permanent deacons 25, religious 310), Canada. The bishop-elect was born in 1947 in Lachine, Canada and was ordained a priest in 1975.

- Appointed Msgr. Richard Seminack of the clergy of the Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma of the Ukraines, U.S.A., as bishop of the Eparchy of St. Nicholas of Chicago of the Ukraines (area Catholics 10,000, priests 55, permanent deacons 12, religious 19), U.S.A. The bishop-elect was born in Philadelphia, U.S.A., in 1942 and was ordained a priest in 1967.

- Appointed Fr. Wieslaw Alojzy Mering, rector of the diocesan seminary of Pelplin, Poland, as bishop of Wloclawek (area 10,143, population 872,853, Catholics 851,629, priests 616, religious 726), Poland. The bishop-elect was born in Zukow, Poland in 1945 and was ordained in 1972.

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